Chapter 83: Luo Pei’s Return

Chapter 83: Chapter 83: Luo Pei’s Return

After shouting a few times, Tang Huai switched on his walkie-talkie and demanded, "Third Territory, Third Territory. Xiaqing, what are you doing?"

Xiaqing, wearing her Protective Mask, pretended not to hear and continued mowing, the machine humming steadily. Only when Tang Huai started yelling did Xiaqing finally reply loudly, "Mowing Injurious Grass."

Tang Huai was so angry it made his wound throb. "It’s only been a day since the rain, and the ground isn’t even dry! How can you be using a machine to weed? Aren’t you afraid it’ll get stuck?"

Over the rhythmic CHUGGA-CHUGGA of the micro-tiller, Xiaqing replied, "My micro-tiller has caterpillar tracks, so mud isn’t a problem. Besides, even if it gets stuck, it’s fine. I’m a Strength Evolution Person; I can just pull it out."

Tang Huai: ’Son of a...’

Hu Zifeng chimed in, "Oh, right. How could I forget that micro-tillers have caterpillar tracks?"

Xiaqing shouted back to Hu Zifeng, "Brother Feng, the micro-tiller’s weeding wheel can only cut the Injurious Grass down. I’ll still have to till the soil and burn the roots later. You have plenty of people in your territory, so weeding by hand is probably a better option for you. I’m only doing this because I’m injured and don’t have the strength to pull them."

Hu Zifeng shouted back, "We’re tired of pulling them. We’ll cut them down first and turn the soil to burn the roots in a couple of days. It’s only a barrel of fuel, anyway. Do you need any help over there?"

He was deliberately acting friendly toward Xiaqing to mislead the people from the Second Territory.

Xiaqing replied, "Not at the moment, thank you, Brother Feng. In a few days, I’m heading into the mountains to get some things. I’ll trade you for a barrel of diesel then."

Qi Fu also shouted, "Xiaqing, how’s that Qiang Evolved cotton of yours? You must have transplanted it already, right?"

His timing was perfect. Xiaqing had planted the cotton in a plot not far from the basement where Luo Pei was staying. "I’m driving the micro-tiller toward the Qiang Evolved cotton plot now, but I still can’t see it from here."

With that, Xiaqing put down her walkie-talkie, went full throttle, and chugged toward the Qiang Evolved cotton Planting Area.

After undergoing Qiang Evolution, cotton still had a ten percent chance of bearing bolls. Of course, this Qiang Evolved cotton contained excessive Harmful Element, so even if it bloomed, the seeds couldn’t be pressed for oil or consumed.

Xiaqing wasn’t short on oil. What she wanted was the soft, fluffy cotton itself.

Qiang Evolved Plants possessed an incredibly tenacious Life Force. The transplanted cotton hadn’t even wilted, growing instead into a lush, two-meter-tall cotton tree. If even a tenth of the buds on this tree could produce cotton, then next year, Xiaqing wouldn’t bother building rain shelters for her cotton plants. She’d just let them all undergo Qiang Evolution.

CHUGGA-CHUGGA, CHUGGA-CHUGGA.

WHIRR—WHIRR—WHIRR—

Xiaqing circled the cotton trees, using the mower to cut down the various types of Injurious Grass that had grown almost as tall as the cotton itself.

As swathes of Injurious Grass fell, the view for Xiaqing and Sheep Leader gradually opened up.

The micro-tiller in No.1 Territory started up as well. While the sound of two machines was no bother to the ordinary people in the other territories, for Tang Huai, a person with High Level Auditory Evolution, it was pure noise pollution. Annoyed, he retreated to the southeast corner of his territory to hunt rats, muttering curses under his breath.

"Brother Luo, we’re all set." Wei Chengdong, having led his men to move the last of the medical equipment, reminded Luo Pei in a hushed voice.

Luo Pei nodded and gave his orders to Wei Chengdong. "You stay here. After dark, deliver the machine to Xiaqing. Then, take the spring water to Mountain No. 49 to rendezvous with the captain and return to No.1 Territory by helicopter."

"Understood." Wei Chengdong couldn’t help but add, "Be careful, Brother Luo."

Luo Pei, his face slightly flushed, gave a small nod. He shouldered his sniper rifle and started back toward No.1 Territory. The sight of that tall, familiar figure from behind made Wei Chengdong’s eyes burn.

Inside No.1 Territory, the micro-tiller was chugging along, clearing the Injurious Grass above the tunnels. A few team members patrolled the grounds, weapons in hand, taking down any Evolutionary Animals they encountered.

When they saw Luo Pei emerge from the tunnel exit in the new three-story building beneath the Buffer Forest, Hu Zifeng, who was guarding it, felt his eyes redden. Chen Zheng, on the other hand, just burst into tears. ’This is great! Brother Luo is really okay!’

Hu Zifeng shot a glare at the snot-nosed Chen Zheng and reported in a hushed tone, "There’s a Crow high above, possibly with brain domain evolution. It’s been circling overhead."

Luo Pei patted Chen Zheng on the shoulder and went up to the top floor. After watching through the observation port for a few seconds, he took aim at the circling Crow with his sniper rifle.

"BANG!"

The familiar scent of gunpowder lifted Luo Pei’s spirits. He pulled out his sunglasses and put them on, casually wiping away the reflexive tears that had formed in his eyes. "I broke one of the Crow’s wings," he ordered in a low voice. "The rest is up to you."

"Yes, sir." ’That single shot from Brother Luo has blown all our worries away.’ Hu Zifeng accepted the order and led his men to retrieve the Crow.

"You’re asking to die!" In the Second Territory, Xu Pin, who was monitoring No.1 Territory via a camera strapped to the Crow, cursed as he watched the chaotic, shaking feed on his screen. Then, he slammed the detonation button.

"BOOM!"

The falling Crow exploded in mid-air, disintegrating into a spray of blood.

"Attention all Lords. A bird carrying explosives has been spotted in the airspace above No.1 Territory. All Lords are advised to monitor their own airspace. If you spot any birds with suspicious flight patterns, please contact the investigation team immediately. Attention all Lords..."

Tan Junjie’s calm announcement echoed over the Lord channel, followed by a string of curses from Hu Zifeng.

It didn’t take a genius to figure out that the explosive-laden bird over No.1 Territory had been sent by the Second Territory. Xiaqing pretended she hadn’t heard anything and kept her micro-tiller chugging along.

Xiaqing didn’t head home on her tiller until sunset. Just as she finished making dinner, she heard waves of gunfire from the direction of the Second and No.1 Territories.

Xiaqing securely locked her doors and windows. After listening to the Hui San Base broadcast about inspirational stories from the Harmful Rain period, followed by the weather report, she jotted down notes from the daily agricultural knowledge segment. Just then, her sharp ears picked up the sound of heavy footsteps approaching.

She lifted a corner of her heavy blackout curtains to peek outside. Confirming that it was Wei Chengdong, she opened the door and helped him carry the securely wrapped Yi Element Detector inside.

Sheep Leader had never seen Wei Chengdong before. It lowered its spiral horns, ready to butt him out the door, but Xiaqing managed to talk it down. Wei Chengdong was still on a mission; after delivering the machine and giving Xiaqing a few instructions, he hurried off to the spring to fetch water.

After closing the door, Xiaqing took out a soft measuring tape. She quickly realized the machine wouldn’t fit through any of the room doors, so it would have to stay in a living area. The first floor was where she and Sheep Leader were most active, so placing such a delicate instrument in the second-floor living room would be safer.

So, Xiaqing lifted the detector, which weighed over a hundred pounds, carried it effortlessly up to the second floor, and set it down in the living room.

Xiaqing had already skim-coated and painted the walls of her little house, making them smooth and white. She had also installed insect-repellent wood flooring. Now, with this sophisticated-looking machine, the room felt even classier.

Inside, there was no trace of the desolation left behind by the Natural Disasters.

This was her territory. Her home.

Humming a cheerful tune, Xiaqing returned to the first-floor living room. Now that the rooms were painted, she no longer needed to burn smoky fires to get rid of moisture and pests. With the warm lights on, the whole place exuded a tranquil warmth.

Her chair and Sheep Leader’s tatami mat had been upgraded to new styles that fit the house’s decor. Sheep Leader was lying on its mat, chewing its cud while listening to the radio, and Xiaqing sat on a grass cushion on a solid wood bench, diligently cleaning her three precious guns.

This afternoon, Xiaqing had witnessed the black bird over No.1 Territory being shot and then exploding. ’Even though Hu Zifeng claimed on the Lord channel that he was the one who shot it down,’ she thought, ’I know it was Luo Pei.’

Having practiced her marksmanship for some time, Xiaqing now understood just how difficult it was to shoot down a high-flying bird on a windy day.

By returning to No.1 Territory and making that precise shot, Luo Pei had announced his comeback to everyone there.

’Luo Pei really is a true Sharpshooter. Under his guidance, I have to become a Sharpshooter, too.’

’Someone will definitely try that trick to spy on my territory in the future, and I need to be able to strike back just like Luo Pei did. When I’m strong enough, I’ll put a bullet in Tang Zhengsu and avenge my father.’